The present disclosure relates to an axle assembly. An axle assembly may utilize a differential apparatus in wheeled vehicle drivetrains to permit an outer drive wheel to rotate at a greater velocity than an inner drive wheel when operating a vehicle through a turn. Axle assemblies often employ a pinion gear drivingly engaged with a ring gear, which in turn rotates a differential case comprising a number of planet gears or bevel gears. The pinion gear is often coupled with a pinion shaft supported within the carrier housing by one or more pinion bearings. In many applications, lubricating the pinion bearings is necessary for optimum performance thereof. However, the resistance caused by the lubricant in the bearings is known to be a source of system power loss that degrades fuel economy.
The present subject matter discloses a system and apparatus for regulating the volume of lubricant distributed to the axle assembly pinion bearings in a simple and cost effective manner.